Dear Severus
by Galinda Burroughs 417
Summary: Letters from the grave... A love that never died...
1. Prologue

Prologue

Severus Snape paced angrily back and forth, muttering to himself. She had been his best friend and now she was dead. How could he ever have known he needed to cherish their last meeting? He had screamed at her, furious with her, and she had died that very night.

And these mysterious letters that kept appearing, supposedly from her. She couldn't send him letters from the grave. He believed wholeheartedly that she was done with this world. She wasn't the type of girl who would come back as a ghost.

Severus stopped pacing and looked down at the box full of letters, cursing them mentally. He closed the lid, her name the only thing in his mind… Lily…


	2. Truth and Circumstance

Chapter One:  
Truth and Circumstance

16 Years Later

"Snape, do you want to keep this?"

Severus turned to see Lucius Malfoy holding up a dark blue and silver box.

"Sure. I'll go through it later."

"I can't believe you're actually moving to Hogsmede."

"I told you, Lucius. I need to keep an eye on Potter's little friends."

The grandfather clock Severus was leaving behind chimed ten.

Lucius packed the blue box in Severus' trunk and watched his friend step in the empty fireplace with his trunk.

"The Three Broomsticks, Hogsmede," the younger announced before being engulfed in green flames.

2 hours later

Alone at last. It had taken ages to convince Madame Rosmerta that he was fine. Everything was unpacked except…

"… the letters," whispered Severus.

He had numbered them as they came. Now he removed the first one. The familiar handwriting jumped out at him.

"_Dear Sev,_

_In case something ever happens to me, I'm writing letters to you. They're enchanted to come to you over a period of time. Right now, me and you have just had a fight about the fact I'm in Gryffindor and you wanted me in Slytherin. It wasn't my fault! Do you remember? You said I was abandoning you for Potter and Black because I'm in Gryffindor. It isn't true. You're my best friend, Sev, and if you think I'll ever replace you with a git like Potter, you're sadly mistaken. I can't stand how he's so conceited and overly self-confident. Just yesterday I caught him telling Black I'm falling for him! How utterly ridiculous is that?! I think you're the only boy I'll ever trust. Do you remember the time you and I caught Tuney writing to Dumbledore? She was angry and I blamed you and was really angry at you. The very next day we did homework by the lake together as if it never happened! Can you believe how changeable we are? Oh! I almost forgot the time me and you turned the Room of Requirement into a "shrine" for that Muggle American band called NSync only we made all the posters have the faces of Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew! I enjoyed making fun of them with you. How come you think I'm in love with Potter? He's a complete git! And I'm not even going to start in on Black! Oh, I just heard that there's going to be a party on Christmas Eve for those who stay. Since this is the third year I've stayed, Mum wants me to come home for the holidays, but I chose to stay with you. Although, since we're in different houses, we need to stay in the Room of Requirement. I suppose you and I will make up tomorrow, so there isn't any point in going on about how stupid you can be. I guess I'm done now._

_Your best friend,_

Lily

Severus realized that his cheeks were wet.

"Oh, Lily. I was so awful to you, wasn't I?" he whispered, the tears still falling.


	3. Reminiscing

Chapter 2:

Reminiscing

_Dearest Sev,_

_I guess after my last letter, you think you're awful. You most definitely aren't. I've been thinking (a dangerous pastime, I know) and if something has happened to me, then you most likely have blocked out memories of me, or at least put them in a Pensieve. If not, it will be fun to reminisce anyway! Tonight is Christmas Eve and I'm so excited! I've just gotten back from the party. I hate that Potter and his gang were there! He left me a gift under the tree in the Gryffindor common room. I know you'll probably tell me to throw it into the fire, but I've tried. He knew I would and made it fireproof, the little git. And waterproof. And spellproof. And curseproof. Indestructible! I guess I'm kinda curious. It can't be dangerous, because he says he loves me. Git. Speaking of gifts, I've gotten you a brand new Potions book!! I'll finish this letter after I open the gifts in the morning._

_It's Christmas morning! Hooray! Turns our Potter gave me a gold locket with pictures of me and him inside. My first thought was "What the bloody hell?" The git is really confident, isn't he? I really hope you like the Potions book. I had someone take it to the Slytherin common room for me. I know you well enough to know you won't read it straight through, but if you check out page 193 you'll find a pleasant surprise. Sev, I've liked you since that first day at the park and I have never once seen you smile genuinely. I hope I see you smile at least once before I die, while I probably already have by now. You always tell me that there's no way Potter really loves me, but Black told me that you say that because you love me and don't want Potter to win me over. I normally wouldn't believe Black, but it makes sense, Sev. I mean, you and me have always been best friends forever. At first, I couldn't imagine being more than friends, but the more I think about it, the more I realize me and you have a deeper connection. I ask myself if I could ever love you, but I don't know. I hope I can unravel this mystery. Oh, it's almost time to meet you in the Room of Requirement._

_Love From,_

Lily

As soon as he set the letter down, Severus opened his bookshelf's door. A dusty but well-cared-for Potions book sat in the center of the cabinet. He gently lifted the volume and flipped to page 193.

"Remembrance Potion"

Lily had left a note on the page.

"Try this. Remember me and you doing something together. I miss you!"

Severus read the caption below the title. It said:

"This potion is to be used to relive any memory of your choice."

He glanced over the materials, wondering how this would ever work.

"-hair from yourself and one other person in the memory

-the Pensieve strand of this memory

-3 teaspoons of gillwart

-7 cups of the other person's favourite drink

-8 cups of your favourite drink"

"Butterbeer for Lily and firewhiskey for me, shouldn't be too hard. I have gillwart an the Pensieve strand. I have my hair, but where can I get Lily's hair?" he muttered to himself as he stood up to look out the window.

Looking across the lane, he could see the park he and Lily played in as children, the very park in which she told him of her betrayal.


	4. Nightmarish Reality

Chapter 3:  
Nightmarish Reality

That night, Severus' dreams took him to a place he would rather forget, 18 years before…

… "Hi, Severus," Lily greeted him stiffly.

Already he knew something was wrong. She hardly ever called him Severus.

"Hello, Lily."

They walked in silence through the park for a few minutes. Severus could see her weakening.

Finally, she broke. "Severus, I have horrible news."

He stopped walking.

"Sev, he asked me to marry him."

He didn't need to ask who. He knew. James Potter.

Severus took her in his arms and held her tight. "It'll be okay. I'll make it okay."

Lily pulled away, tears staining her cheeks.

"Lily, we'll make it through. I love you and I'll make sure you're safe."

"Don't you see?" she threw at him.

"See what?"

"I wouldn't care normally, him asking me to marry him!"

"Then why do you care now?"

"Sev, I care because I can't love you. Can't love you 'cause I think I'm falling in love with James Potter."

She turned and ran from him, leaving the knife of her words to pierce his heart…

… Severus sat up quickly, her words echoing in his ears. He walked over to the window, like he did every night.

"Lily, I wasn't strong enough to save you. I wasn't strong enough to love you. I'm sorry."


	5. Betrayal Twice Committed

Chapter Four:

Betrayal Twice Committed

_Dear Sev,_

_This is my last letter to you. I know it is. Today you got angry at me for loving James Potter. I forgive you for getting so angry. But you had every right. I turned against you. I want you to know that I love you. I have always loved you. But when you started following You-Know-Who, I was afraid to love you. I knew Potter could protect me, so I loved him, but never once as truly and deeply as I love you. I plan to leave Potter and come to you, but_

_Sev, I need to hurry. There isn't much time. You-Know-Who is here, with Potter. Potter is trying to stall him. This is my last day. I love you, truly. I hope you can find it in your heart to love me back._

_I love you,_

Lily

"Lily…" whispered Severus. "She still loved me. She was afraid to love me because of what I had become."

Turning away from the window, he knew some things were better left in the past.

A/N: I know this chapter (and this story) is short but it shows my love for the Sev and Lily friendship with underlying romance.


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